Parents' Guide to

Dan Vs.

By Emily Ashby, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 13+

Comedy's angry, vengeful messages make it iffy for kids.

TV Discovery Family Channel Comedy 2011
Dan Vs. Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this TV show.

Community Reviews

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age 11+

Based on 20 parent reviews

handsomehusband
handsomehusband Adult
August 31, 2021
age 10+

Very good show- Would recommend!

I am a legal adult, so I now have the rights to say that this show is completely fine for young viewers. This show aired when I was around 8 and I'll be honest I had no clue it existed, so first of all, even though it was on a children's channel, the target audience wasn't for small children; that is why My Little Pony overshadowed the whole show in the first place. There are no explicit swear words, and no intentionally harmful language that a child could understand to begin with. There is absolutely no sex, and no drugs. I do agree with some of the others, that it may be more enjoyable for a tween/teen, because they can understand the show better, but on a surface level, this show is absolutely fine for kids. Maybe not small toddlers (again, because it ISNT My Little Pony) but its fine for kids. As an adult, we catch onto some jokes or things like "fake cursing", but as a kid, I remember not even giving it a second thought. I grew up with this show, it is one of my favorites to this day. I love it, my niece and nephew love it, my cousin loves it my aunt loves it- hell, even my dad loves it. Please give this show a shot
zennoko
zennoko Adult
June 10, 2021
age 10+

You have to have a certain humor.

Humor in this show is much more advanced compared to other kids shows. Heck, I enjoyed it. Just loosen up, have some fun with it.
See all 20 parent reviews

What's the Story?

Not-so-loveable loser Dan (voiced by Curtis Armstrong) has a bone to pick with, well, everyone. Petty grievances like a broken window or a scratch on his car send him over the edge, and he's got big plans for getting back at those responsible for his inconvenience. When the inevitable happens, he calls on his best friend, Chris (Dave Foley), who's easily persuaded to chauffeur him to his date with revenge. Often the duo are accompanied by Chris's wife, Elise (Paget Brewster), who tries to be a voice of reason -- until she's bitten by the revenge bug as well.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (20 ):
Kids say (53 ):

Let's get this straight: This is not a cartoon for kids or tweens, and teens mature enough to not be influenced by its horrendous messages probably won't be interested in it to begin with. Were Dan a real person, there would be ample reason to question his sanity, since his bitter, antisocial behavior borders on clinical paranoia and causes him to justify violence as a means for dealing with it.

The fact that Dan resorts to punching, strangling, and verbal threats to deal with people who bother him -- all of which is played for humor throughout the show -- should be enough reason for parents to nix it as an option for impressionable teens. Dan's relationship with his best friend is perhaps the most disturbing part of all, since he subjects Chris to harsh physical, verbal, and emotional bullying. While there's no outright cursing or sex, innuendo, verbal threats, and name-calling reach a fevered pitch, giving you plenty of reasons to keep your kids away.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about bullying. What are some forms bullying can take? How does verbal bullying differ from physical bullying? Is one any less harmful than the other? Have you ever witnessed a bully in action? What did you do?

  • What messages does this show send about responsible behavior? Is it appropriate for teens to watch? Do you think it's likely that its content could influence viewers who have their own grievances?

  • What is the purpose of making this series -- which clearly is geared toward older viewers -- a cartoon? Would it be less funny in live action? Does animation allow the show's creators to take liberties that wouldn't be allowable otherwise? If so, what?

TV Details

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